While most Scotts who make music today are described as “twee” (apologies to Belle and Sebastian and Camera Obscura), the Jesus and Mary Chain, fronted by Scottish-born brothers William and Jim Reid, take us back to the days when the sound coming from northern part of Britain was anything but sweet. Thundering onto the scene in 1985 with their debut album Pschocandy, the band almost single-handedly turned white noise into a valid musical art form. It would be easy to write off their sound simply as guitar fuzz if it weren’t for the pop sensibility lurking just underneath the surface of their reverb.
But it was there and, when it came time for the Jesus and Mary Chain to offer up their sophomore effort Darklands in 1987, the band gave free reign to their more commercial side – putting their guitars and vocals front and center. Now, with the re-issue of the group’s discs (a DVD side also offers three videos), it has become crystal clear that this band is way over due for some serious props. Though Psychocandy may have showcased a band playing with an almost terrifying amount of originality, Darklands still stands as their most accessible offering.
Their wall of noise may have been front and center the first time around, on the band’s second disc it took a back seat to the vocals proving that there really were talented singers and players behind the curtain of fuzz. The vocals on Darklands are particularly clear and almost have a classic-rock twang at times. The story song “April Skies” and the icy-cool rocker “Happy When It Rains” benefited the most from the new approach the Reid brothers took.
The Jesus and Mary Chain may have disbanded in 1999, but it’s never too late to discover great music. The buzz train for these guys is coming around again so be sure to scoop up the re-issues and hop on board. |